CARACAS: Ven­ezuela’s highest court on Monday approved a warrant for the arrest of Argentina’s President Javier Milei, a vocal critic and ideological rival of counterpart Nicolas Maduro.

The warrant was issued over the “theft” of a Venezuelan plane seized in Buenos Aires for alleged sanctions violations. But it is only symbolic as Milei is unlikely to set foot in this country, where the warrant applies.

The cargo plane owned by Venezuelan company Emtrasur was confiscated after landing in Argentina in June 2022, before Milei took office. An Argentine judge then granted a request for the United States to seize the plane on grounds that laws were broken when Iran sold it to Venezuela. Both countries are under US sanctions.

The 19-member crew was composed of Venezuelans and Iranians — one of whom the United States suspected had links to the Al Quds Force.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2024